Beth Leyden (middle) with the KLRN Team (Photo – PUSD)
The Pasadena Unified School District receives $2.5 million a year tied to its television station, KLRN, and that funding depends on one thing: continuing to broadcast. Beth Leyden, the PUSD Director of Telecommunications, manages the station and explains its purpose simply: “We are a money-generating department.”
By Jennifer Hall Lee
The funding comes through a partnership with T-Mobile, tied to the district’s FCC license, which Leyden maintains. The money is not guaranteed—if PUSD does not broadcast, it does not receive the funding.
KLRN broadcasts almost everything PUSD does, including graduations, school musicals, assemblies, festivals, sports, Rotary Teachers of Excellence events, special meetings, informational videos, and board meetings. The funding generated by these broadcasts goes directly into the PUSD general fund. As Leyden said, “Without the TV station, that money goes away.”
These broadcasts include both live events and produced content, such as the district’s arts program video, PUSD Arts-Prop 28, College Football Playoffs Foundation Donation to Rebuild Eliot Arts Magnet after the fire, and the 2025 First Day of School video.
All production at KLRN requires camera operators, sound engineers, editors, and graphic designers. Crew members maintain equipment, travel to locations, and meet regularly to organize shoot schedules. In addition to Ms. Leyden, PUSD employs three staff members at KLRN who work as producers and directors—two full-time and one part-time. Leyden also works with three student employees and many volunteers.
How does this work?
KLRN is one of four local channels in Pasadena that are part of Public, Educational, and Governmental channels, or PEG. The other three PEG channels are KPAS, ARROYO, and PCCTV. KLRN’s role within PEG is part of a partnership between PUSD and the City of Pasadena that Leyden describes as a “brilliant city/school partnership for education purposes.”
Leyden said that “no other city has this many PEG channels.” She added, “We broadcast off of Mt. Wilson, which is the second most valuable airspace in the country after New York City.”
Who pays for KLRN?
Pasadena’s four PEG channels are supported by the Pasadena Community Access Corporation (PCAC), one of three operating entities in the city, along with the Rose Bowl Operating Company Board and the Pasadena Center Operating Company Board. PCAC meets monthly, and Leyden serves as the PUSD representative. When KLRN needs technical improvements, she requests funding from PCAC. (PUSD itself does not fund KLRN.)
While some school districts have cable stations, they typically do not operate full television departments. Districts without a station must pay outside companies to film their events.
Leyden added, “We broadcast, livestream, and create content for the great things about the district.” You can watch much of it on KLRN Pasadena, where telling the district’s story also helps fund its future.
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